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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 






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MEMORANJJLrM 



IN CASh: OF 



CAP7: JAMES E. JOrETT. 



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Navy Department, 
Washington, March 2, 1880. 

Sir: Agreeably to your request I have the honor to 
transmit herewith a memorandum of the gallant services of 
Captain James E. Jouett, on account of which he was 
nominated for advancement to tlie grade of Commodore. 
Very respectfully, 

R. W. Thompson, 
Secntari/ of the Navy. 
Hon. Jno. S. Williams, 

U. S. Senate. 




MEMORANDUM 

IN CASE OF CAPTAIN JAMES E. JOUETT. 



Captain Jaraes E. Jouett, then a lieutenant in the Navy, 
was eminent and conspicuous in battle on the night of Nov. 
7, 1861, the occasion being the capture and destruction of 
the armed privateer schooner " Royal Yacht," oft' Galves- 
ton, Texas. 

Flag ofiicer W. W. McKean, commanding the Gulf Block- 
ading Squadron, reported to the Secretary of the Navy, 
December 3, 1861, that he had just received intelligence of 
a " most gallant exploit," and enclosed a report from Cap- 
tain Henry Eagle, commanding the United States Frigate 
" Santee," which, with other reports accompanying it, gave 
the full particulars of the aftair. 

Lieutenant Jouett having volunteered for the service, was 
placed in command of a boat expedition, comprising 1st and 
2d launches of the " Santee;" the main object of the expe- 
dition being to pass, under coVer of darkness, Bolivar and 
Point forts, enter Galveston Bay, and surprise and burn 
the war steamer " General Rusk," lying under Pelican 
Island Fort. The boats succeeded in passing the privateer 
" Royal Yacht," also the outer forts, but in endeavoring to 
avoid the sentinels on Pelican Fort, grounded on Bolivar 
Spit and were discovered. Although the first object of this 
expedition was thus defeated, Lieutenant Jouett fully ex- 
ecuted the other, and not less heroic part of it, which was 
to capture and destroy the privateer "Royal Yacht." She 
was boarded, and after a severe encounter on her decks, 
was captured and burned, it being impossible in her condi- 
tion to take her to the " Santee." 



Captain Eagle, in communicating the result of this to 
the Department, says it was with pleasure that he reported 
to the Secretary of the Navy the gallantry of Lieutenant 
Jouett. 

Although severely wounded in the arm and chest at the 
commencement of the contest, and suffering from his 
wounds, and the loss of blood, he exhibited great firmness 
throughout; and, after setting fire to the schooner, was 
three hours in the launch, having the care of twelve 
prisoners and six of his wounded men. It was with confi- 
dence that he " recommended him for the command of a 
vessel suitable to his rank." 

Lieut. Jouett was pierced through the arm with a pike, 
which also entered his side. The contest was a very severe 
and gallant one. The pilot of the expedition was killed, 
and two other men died of wounds received. 

Flag Officer McKean issued a general order, which was 
read on the deck of each vessel of his squadron, expressing 
his appreciation of the gallantry displayed by the officers 
and men of the expedition, assuring them that he fully 
shared in the satisfaction they must feel at the " brilliant 
success which crowned their efforts;" and, while expressing 
his conviction that their names would be enrolled by a 
grateful country among those who in former years had shed 
so bright a lustre on the American Navy, he was confident 
the survivors would unite with him in thanksgiving to the 
protecting Providence manifested to them while engaged 
in so "hazardous an enterprise." 

Secretary Welles, in a communication to Flag Officer 
McKean, acknowledging the receipt of the reports of the 
capture and destruction of the " Ro3'al Yacht," saj^s : 

" The Department cannot, in too high terms, express its 
" admiration of the daring and successful exploit of Lieu- 
"•' tenant Jouett and the officers and men under him. The 
" capture of a schooner, well armed and manned, and with 



" every advantage of resistance, after a desperate encounter, 
" speaks well of the intrepidity and bravery of the captors." 

He at the same time transmitted an order for Lieutenant 
Jouett to proceed to New York, as it was the purpose of 
the Department to "give him a command worthy of his 
gallantry." 

Lieutenant Jouett subsequently commanded the " Mont- 
gomery " and " R. R. Cuyler," and was actively engaged in 
blockade duty. His next command was the side-wheel 
wooden steamer " Metacomet," which participated in the 
light in Mobile Bay, and was lashed to the side of Rear 
Admiral Farragut's flagship, the " Hartford," and passed 
the forts with her. 

It was in this fight, August 5, 1864, that Captain, (then 
Lieutenant Commander,) Jouett was again eminent and 
conspicuous in battle. Rear Admiral Farragut says in his 
report : 

" Finding myself raked by the rebel gunboats, I ordered 
" the ' Metacomet ' to cast off and go in pursuit of them, 
" one of which, the ' Selma ' she succeeding in capturing. 

" Captain Jouett was after her in a moment, and in an 
" hour's time he had her as his prize. * * * Lieutenant 
" Commander Jouett's conduct during the whole aflair 
" commands my warmest commendation. The ' Morgan ' 
" and ' Gaines ' succeeded in escaping under the protection 
" of the guns of Fort Morgan, which would have been pre- 
" vented had the other gunboats been as prompt in their 
" movements as the ' Metacomet.' " 

Again he reports : 

" Our little consort, the ' Metacomet' was under my im- 
" mediate eye during the whole of the action up to the 
" moment I ordered her to cast oflMn pursuit of the ' Selma.' 
" The coolness and promptness of Lieutenant Commander 
" Jouett, throughout, merit high praise ; his whole conduct 
" was worthy of his reputation." 



The " Metacomet " cast oft" from the " Hartford " at 
about 8 a. m., and steamed for the " Selma," " Gaines," and 
" Morgan," all of which were annoying the fleet by a rak- 
ing fire. They engaged the " Metacomet " with their stern 
guns, of which each had three, while retreating. At half- 
past eight the " Gaines " sought the cover of the fort in a 
crippled condition ; at nine the " Morgan " hauled off", and 
ten minutes later the " Selma " struck her flag to the " Meta- 
comet." The "Selma" had a crew of about 90 oflicers 
and men and was well defended. Her commanding officer 
was fatally wounded and died shortly after; her first lieu- 
tenant was killed, and a number of others killed or wounded. 

The above is a brief statement from the ofiScial records 
of the gallantry of Captain Jouett on the two occasions 
mentioned. The estimation in which his exploits are held 
by prominent and creditable writers, and hj some of the 
leading oflScers of the J^avy, is shown in his printed memo- 
rial, herewith, which also contains detailed accounts of the 
capture of the " Koyal Yacht." 

For these eminent, conspicuous, and signal acts of gal- 
lantry Captain Jouett has never received appropriate and 
special recognition — has never received that reward, by 
advancement in rank, which his marked and prominently 
gallant conduct merited. 

A Board of Admirals was appointed in 1865 to consider 
and report on the claims of oflicers for advancement for 
heroic conduct. The report of this Board has disappeared 
from the tiles of the Department, and it is not positively 
known what their recommendations were. Admiral D. D. 
Porter, who was a member of it, writes to the Department 
that " the Board recommended Commander Jouett should 
receive an advancement of 30 numbers for 'heroic conduct 
in battle.' There were many advanced who were not rec- 
ommended by that Board, while such oflicers as Jouett were 
left untouched. His record is one of the best in the Navy, 
and his acts of gallantry cannot be questioned." 



That the Board did make such a recommendation is con- 
firmed by other persons, even were the positive statements 
of so distinguished an officer, who was a member of it, not 
sufficient. 

The nomination is to make Captain Jouott a commodore, 
and place him at the foot of the list of officers of that grade. 
He is now number 17 on the list of captains. The nomina- 
tion is made in accordance with sections 1506 and 1507 of 
the Revised Statutes, viz : 

" Sec 1506. An}^ officer of the Navy may, by and with 
" the advice and consent of the Senate, be advanced not 
" exceeding thirty numbers in rank, for eminent and con- 
" spicuous conduct in battle or extraordinary heroism; and 
" the rank of officers shall not be changed except in accord- 
" ance with the provisions of existing law, and by and with 
" the advice and consent of the Senate." 

" Sec. 1507. Any officer who is nominated to a higher 
" grade by the provisions of the preceding section, shall be 
" promoted, notwithstanding the number of said grade may 
" be full ; but no further promotions shall take place in 
" that grade, except for like cause, until the number is re- 
" duced to that provided by law." 

Lapse of time should not be a bar to the recognition of 
gallant service, nor does the statute make it so. 

Authority exists to advance officers, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate, not exceeding thirty 
numbers in rank, for eminent and conspicuous conduct in 
battle, or extraordinary heroism. 

The law has confided to the President the power to nomi- 
nate for advancement, whenever in his judgment the record 
of an officer is such as to deserve it, and, if the Senate con- 
sent, passed omissions can be thus supplied and long de- 
ferred, but well merited justice awarded. 

To give the statute a temporary application might deprive 
those of its benefits, who deserve them by admitted acts of 



heroism, although they tnay have well established their 
claims to such distinction. 

Reward for meritorious service bestowed after long and 
mature deliberation is often quite as fair, and as well de- 
served as that meted out under the excitement of the 
moment. 

The record of Captain Jouett is without blemish. 

Other officers have been advanced by special nomination 
of the President and confirmation of the Senate, whose acts 
were not more heroic than Captain Jouett's, and he now 
stands no higher in rank than others of his date who have, 
as he has, reached their positions by general legislation. 
His relative position is the same as it was in the early years 
of his service. 

R. W. Thompson, 
Secretary of the Navy. 

Navy Department, 

March 2, 1880. 




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